The Washington Executive Seminars (WES) is a two week or 10 day competency-based leadership program for high-potential executives. The program theme is leadership in a political world. The program objective is to equip leaders with the information, tools, and experience they need to lead in a political environment.
The WES curriculum is focused around the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) with an emphasis on External Awareness, Political Savvy, Influencing and Negotiating, and Oral Communications. Participants learn about congressional operations and other key aspects of the political process. Participants are assigned to a team to write and deliver effective congressional testimony, as well as working with the media. In consideration of their career development, participants are provided information on how to write ECQ statements, and how to lead successfully in internal and external environments.
Participants, as part of their team project, work together on a project that is due at the end of the session and may require collaborative work outside of the classroom. Although training is conducted at Graduate School USA located in downtown Washington DC, an offsite trip to the Capitol will take place.
Two consecutive weeks or 10 days of training with some work required outside of class.
The primary components of the WES program focus on preparing senior leader for interactions that require a high level of external awareness, political savvy, communication, negotiating and influencing. Learners can expect a combination of in-class instruction and experiential learning designed to engage and inspire as well as develop a network of peers from across agencies. A sampling of content includes:
- Congressional Overview
- Leveraging the Media
- Working with the Office of Management and Budget
- The SES and Writing ECQs
- My Leadership Journey
Is this Course for You?
This course is for you if you want to learn more about how Congress works and what a senior leader needs to know about operations, regulations, how to work with the media, and how to deliver congressional testimony. Learners are also expected to work on a project that may take time outside of class. Please consider these requirements carefully before applying.
In order to receive a certificate of completion from Washington Executive Seminar, learners must attend all days of instruction and complete all course requirements.
Next Steps
This course is open enrollment. Participants register online through our student registration system either directly or through an agency representative. Employers should expect their employees to be fully engaged in 80 hours of training for two consecutive weeks.
Take Action
- To learn more about the Center for Leadership and Management, to request a visit from us, or to order assessments or other services, please contact us at 202.314.3580 or email clm@graduateschool.edu.
- View upcoming schedules and/or apply to this program
